Deeptech founders urge govt as first customer amid supply chain strain
At a discussion hosted by Accel partner Prashanth Prakash, founders from India’s semiconductor, healthtech, and space sectors said the government should buy their products first. The panel, titled “Building the Hard Stuff in India,” also warned about supply chain risks from West Asia tensions.
Founders described the challenge of funding expensive technology without early sales. One semiconductor founder said startups could stay stuck in development without government contracts.
Supply chain issues added pressure. Recent funding rounds show the sector’s focus on resilience: AI security startup AIR raised $50 million in September, and Atomic, led by ex-Tesla engineers, secured $12.5 million to automate procurement for companies like DoorDash and HelloFresh.
The discussion came after IIT Madras’s ₹1,000 crore deeptech fund closed its first round with global investors. Whether government buying can keep up remains unclear.
Sources: economictimes.indiatimes.com
“The call for government anchor customers shows how India’s deeptech sector relies on public demand to move from lab to market.”
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- Deeptech firms need govt as first customer; West Asia tensions hit supply chains — economictimes.indiatimes.com
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